I have to take my 69 to get worked on cause it wont pass emissions and they say I need carb tunning or something like that, does this sound right? what should I be expecting to get it to pass emisions? any things to watch out for, as far as geting scamed? Thanks.
It has an edllebroch carb (not sure on spelling). and a new exhaust system.

 

Hi, I live in California and had to take my 85 to get smogged. They really goofed my car up when they did it. It wouldn't idle. It didn't have the power it once had. So, I took it back to my mechanic and he said he would put it back to where it was before the idiots got a hold of it. He said they did some stuff to make it smog but also made it run badly. Don't be surprised if you take it to get it smogged and it comes back to you as a poor running car with no power. Don't know why this happened to me. maybe the smog guys were just incompitent.

Clayton

 

Hey,

If you are living in California, you should not have to get your '69 smogged. As far as I know, only '76 and newer need to get smogged.

Check out the link that will give you all the info you need.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/vr/smogfaq.htm#BM2536

 

Check to see if you really have to pass emissions. In NC, like CA and other states, that old a car should not have to pass. Hell, there WERE NO EMISSIONS LAWs when the car was made. I have not heard of any state that retroactively applies emissions laws to older models.

Call the state DOT, do some homework and find out. If you do need to have something fixed, then, well, your Edlebrock probably is running too rich or something. You'll have to have a good shop adjust it. Should not be a problem for someone who knows what they are doing. And be sure to come back here and post to us what really was the law, etc.

But if, as I suspect, your car does not have to pass inspection, then take the car back, ask the guys to put it in writing. Then call the state, complain, and ask them to prosecute them for fraud.

And by the way, it could be that your carb does need adjustment, just not for emissions. Aftermarket carbs are often not set up right and it might be a good idea to have someone good, and honest, check it out.

 

sorry, I should have mentioned that mine is an 85. you are right about the 76 and earlier not requiring smog. the fact still remains though that the smog cats goofed my car up when they smogged it. I am fortunate enough to have a really good mechanic that also happens to be my friend so he takes care of the car as if it were his. He's putting a rebuilt transmission in it right now. I posted about it but got no response. No biggy, it's getting fixed right now as we speak.

Clayton

 

Thanks guys, I found that I had my spark plug wires damaged one or 2 had touched the exhaust manifold and were burnt and after they were replaced the car started acting normal and is expected to pass emisions now. Colorado does require it to pass emissions once and then I wont have to get tested ever again. The car was dinoed before the replacement and was tested for compression while tring to find the problem and adding new wires added aroune 20-30 HP. the car was boging down in low RPM and was acting weird.

CO will soon be doing away with emission testing but not for a couple years.

 

Thanks for the update. Glad to see your problem was taken care of.